Ross Irby
Reporter
Reporter Ross Irby has wander-lust mixed with a sense of adventure, spending way too many years roaming about Australia, its back roads and off-shore foreign lands.
Enjoys a yarn, story telling and tales, along with curiosity to find out about the lives and (mis)adventures of others.
An off-beat sense of humour, not taking it all too seriously, along with big doses of flexibility/adaptability whatever the situation is the best way to go.
You have to have the life experiences to have empathy...

Snr Cnst Blunt said Walker was not sure how much she stole during that time but when told it was $12,957 had said: "I'm not surprised - I did it a lot."

"She was remorseful and wept a lot in the police interview," he said.

Defence lawyer Rian Dwyer said that while the offences were serious, probation was the most suitable penalty for Walker and that a conviction not be recorded because of future professional employment hopes.

Mr Dwyer said his client was married and receiving Centrelink benefits but had worked since she was 14.

Walker's parents had once owned a TAB and she grew up seeing people have big wins and developed an addiction, he said.

He said she had since "banned herself" from going to licensed premises and was getting gambling counselling.

Mr Dwyer said Walker would be affected by the court matter being reported in the NewsMail.

"She made a foolish decision, risking possible imprisonment," he said.

Magistrate Belinda Merrin said people went to jail for similar offences committed by people in positions of trust.

Ms Merrin said she would not jail Walker but, when looking at the objective seriousness of the offending, she was struggling to decide whether a conviction should be recorded.

She adjourned the sentencing to give her more time to think the matter through, and look at Court of Appeal decisions on relevant cases.